Most people dread their commute to and from the office. From relentless traffic jams to construction to bad drivers, Americans are no strangers to the struggles of getting to and from work. In fact – the average American spends almost 10 days per year commuting to work1. And when a leaking joint on a cast iron gas main formed under a five-way intersection at John F. Kennedy Boulevard in Union City, New Jersey, it had the potential of interrupting traffic for more than five months.
“Digging near the leak would have resulted in multiple deep excavations and added time to re-pave and restore the entire intersection,” said Ryan Ventrudo, senior supervisor, Gas Distribution. “To cause as little disruption to commuters as possible, we employed CISBOT robot technology and finished the project in a fraction of the time – one month.”
ULC Technologies’ CISBOT (Cast Iron Joint Sealing Robot) is a cast iron pipe-repair robot that enters natural gas pipelines and seals joints from the inside, thus extending their use without unearthing the joints2.
While the leak was in an area of Union City where extended work would be highly disruptive to residents, the CISBOT launch site was in North Bergen, where the gas main was not as deep, reducing digging costs. The robot can travel up to 700 feet from the point of entry, and luckily, we were able to identify a point of entry just 150 feet away from the leak.
“CISBOT sealed 89 joints over approximately four working weeks to address the active leak and protect against future leaks,” said Ryan. “This technology helped us significantly reduce costs and disruption to the public – and was remarkably easy to coordinate and set up.”
ULC Technologies’ ability to deliver robotic internal cast iron joint remediation in active pipelines also meant the project could be delivered in colder months when gas demand is high.
“Our technology can be used in all weather conditions,” said Ryan McGowan, VP Operations at ULC Technologies. “This allowed PSE&G to resolve the issue without having to wait until the spring. The solution also provides a reactive and proactive approach by fixing any existing leaks on the gas main and preventing new leaks from forming for up to 50 years.”
While this is only the first time we have employed CISBOT technology, it certainly won’t be the last according to Mike Hogan, district manager, Jersey City Gas.
“Not only does the technology save time, but it enhances our infrastructure,” Mike said. “Using the technology remotely as opposed to traditional methods allowed customers to continue enjoying uninterrupted service and minimized traffic disruptions to the public.”
Learn more about CISBOT below.
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